1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates to a mechanism for use with a floating bridge such as found on guitars and more particularly to a mechanism for converting a full floating bridge to a half or non-floating bridge on electric guitars which include vibrato.
2. Background
An electric guitar with vibrato includes a body, a neck and a head, with strings extending from tuning posts on the head to a vibrato bridge assembly on the body. The floating bridge assembly includes a base plate that is pivotally supported or floating with respect to the body. By pivoting the base plate by means of a vibrato bar, the tension on the strings is altered to vary the pitch of the strings so as to achieve vibrato effects.
The typical floating bridge includes a flange member integral with the base plate that extends downwardly into a cavity in the body of the guitar, at approximately a right angle to the base plate. Springs connected at one of their ends to the lower end of the flange and at the other of their ends to a wall of the cavity in the guitar body. The arrangement allows the strings and the springs counterbalance one another when the strings are in tune and the base plate of the floating bridge is stationary at a neutral position. A vibrato bar is attached to the base plate to allow the user to manually pivot the base plate relative to the guitar body. Pivoting forward reduces the tension on the strings and the tone of the guitar shifts in the flat direction. Pivoting rearward increases the tension on the strings and the tone of the guitar shifts in the sharp direction.
Should one of the strings of the guitar break during use of the guitar, the balance existing between the tension in the unbroken strings and the counterbalancing springs is disturbed. The base plate of the floating bridge pivots rearward due to the tension of the springs until the tension in the remaining unbroken strings again counterbalances the springs. When this occurs the individual tensions in the remaining unbroken strings increase and the tones of the strings all shift in the sharp direction. This creates a problem for a user, especially during a performance for the user who must either stop the performance for a sufficient time to obtain a new guitar or to retune the remaining strings of the guitar in hand.
It is useful and known in the art to provide a bridge that may be selectively locked. Examples of locking bridges are shown in U.S. Pat. No. 4,724,737 to Fender and in U.S. Pat. No. 4,882,967 to Rose.
However, prior art bridge locks are not readily adaptable to existing guitars. In particular, prior art bridge locks are generally not adaptable to guitars with low profile or floating bridges that are placed in a recess in the face of a guitar. Many guitars are collector""s items and even considered pieces of art. Extensive modification of a guitar can adversely affect the value and appearance of a guitar. Many prior art bridge locks require significant rebuilding of the guitar or adversely impact the visual appearance of the guitar.
It is a primary object of the present invention to provide such a floating bridge lock in which the base plate can be quickly returned to and held at its original neutral position following the breakage of a string in the instrument so that the user""s performance can be continued with only a minor interruption.
Another object of the present invention is to provide a bridge lock that may be used with existing guitars and floating bridges, in particular those guitars with floating bridges placed in a recess in the face of the guitar where access and available space are limited.
Another object of the present invention is to provide a bridge stop to limit floating bridge travel. In some guitars extreme bridge travel permits the strings to come in contact with the body of the guitar deadening the notes. The present invention provides a mount that may be placed such that the mount acts as a stop limiting bridge travel.
Another object of the present invention is to provide a floating bridge lock that is visually and mechanically low profile and does not materially alter the guitar on which it is used.
A further object of the present invention is to provide a floating bridge lock which allows the floating bridge to continue to be used with respect to shifting the base plate to a forward position, wherein the remaining unbroken strings are shifted in the flat direction.
Further objects and advantages of this invention will become apparent as the following description proceeds.
Briefly stated, and in accordance with one embodiment of this invention, the improved floating bridge lock for stringed musical instruments comprises a mount and a throw bolt to engage the base plate of a floating bridge to which a plurality of strings of the musical instrument are secured. The floating bridge lock is movable between an inactive position in which it is out of engagement with the base plate, and an active position in which it is in engagement with the base plate when the bridge is in the neutral position. The bridge lock is constructed and arranged so that when it is engaged it precludes movement of the floating bridge from the neutral position to the rearward position but allows movement of the floating bridge from the neutral position to the forward position.
The mount of the bridge lock is such that it may be placed within the recess that is commonly found to contain a floating bridge on a modern electric guitar. Placement of the mount may be such that there is no restriction on the movement of the floating bridge, or the mount may be positioned forward to the point of providing a stop to limit travel of the floating bridge, permitting limited rearward movement.